THE Pearl World Series Thread to End All Threads

[Stranjluv101]

Updated, thanks again, gyorpb!

[sebco]

What about the "Session Elite" jazz kits (20/12/14,5.5x14) that looked practically like a World series around 1990 kit? (Heavy legs and bracktes, post-"coffin" lugs, same as on Export kits of 1987). In 1997, the were a few kits available in piano black and satin natural (birch) in shops around where I lived. I later learned the Session Elite in rock sizes had the long lugs, so why did the jazz kits with the short lugs bear that name?

[3pearlkits]

If anyone has any information, please share. I'll add more photos / info when I get the chance. (thanks)

Sources at the bottom.

Introduction

The Worlds were made from 1985 until ca. 1992. This was an intermediate / beginner line, just above the Export series, and just below the DLX/DX. There were two "Worlds" - a lacquer series (WLX), and a covered one, WX.

Pearl utilized a couple of names for these drums. From the very beginning until ca. 1990 the WLX drums were known as Prestige World 6500. The WX drums were called simply World 6500. Circa 1990 Prestige World became Prestige Session, and the covered finish Worlds became known as Performance Session.

In 1992, and that year alone, there was the last World Series - the "WSX". It was basically jazz sized WX drums, offered in Black Abalone and White Abalone wraps.

How can you tell a lacquer from a wrap?

If the drum's finish has a seam, it's a wrap. If the drum has a glossy shine, and no seam, it's lacquered. Another way to tell on bass drums, is the metal hoops on the WX have inlays that match the wrap color. The WLX bass hoops are wooden and lacquered to match.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]498831[/ATTACH] - WX metal hoops
[ATTACH=CONFIG]498832[/ATTACH] - WLX Wood hoops (Coral Red)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]498892[/ATTACH] - WX Wrapped tom (notice the seam)

What Woods Were They Made Of?

They featured 7 ply shells: birch (outside), mahogany (middle), and lamin (inside). (per Gene Okamoto) (This was also the same construction as the DLX/DX) The lamin had a shiny, clear coat. The 1990 literature does not mention the lamin plies, but does say it is a 7 ply shell.

I see them a lot incorrectly stated as maple drums or all-birch. This was never the case.

What Sizes Were Available?
According to the 1986 Modern Drummer Equipment Annual (Henceforth known as E.A.), the mounted toms in the WLX/WX were not available separately. They were offered only packaged as sets. All other toms at that time were offered individually. This is repeated in the 1987-1988 E.A, , but by the 1989-1990 E.A. all drums in these series were sold separately, as well as in sets.

All drums were offered for the duration of the WLX / WX lines, unless otherwise noted.

Listed as they were in the catalogs of the time, depth x diameter:

Standard Toms - WLX only
8x10 (This was originally a "power" depth as well, until the 10" depth was offered starting ca. 1988); Also available in WSX.
8x12 Also available in WSX.
9x13 Also available in WSX.
10x14 (this is listed once - in the 1989 - 1990 E.A.)

Power Toms "Deep Force"
8x10
10x10 (Added after 1987, but by 1989)
10x12
11x13
12x14

Floor Toms
14x14 WLX Only. (Added after 1987, but by 1989); Also available in WSX
16x16
16x18

Bass Drums
14x18 WLX Only. (Added after 1987, but by 1989); Also available in WSX.
14x20 WLX Only. (Added after 1987, but by 1989); Also available in WSX.
14x22 (Listed in the 1986 E.A., but I think it's a misprint)
16x22
16x24 (Listed in the 1987 -1988 E.A. for both WLX and WX, but nowhere else. Misprint?)

Snares
5 1/2x14 (Wood) (Listed in the 1990-1991 E.A. for ALL WLX finishes); Also available in WSX.
6 1/2x 14 (Steel)

What Finishes?

The WLX had the following lacquer finishes:

Antique Ivory (#106), Coral Red (#107), and Piano Black #103). (1985 - 1992)
Matte Natural Lacquer (#212), Arctic White (#109) (Ca. 1989-1992)

The WX had the following choice of wraps:

Smokey Chrome (#21), Jet Black (#31 ), Pure White ( #33 ) (1985 - 1992)
Wine Red ( #66 ) (1985 & 1986 only)
Stainless Steel (#38), Deep Ocean (#65), Ferrari Red (#71), Celtic Green (#73) (1987 - 1992)

The WLX Jazz Kit was available in Matte Natural Lacquer Only.

Sources:
1985 World Series Brochure
1986, 1987-1988, 1989-1990, and 1990-1991 Modern Drummer Equipment Annuals
1986, 1987, 1990 Catalogs
PDF member gyorpb

Unfortunately I don't have anything written post 1990 on the World drums.

Loving your efforts to do this!

About "What woods...."

Although it says that the World series, in the 86 flyer, had identical shell construction as the DX/DLX series, there is conflicting information from a number of sources.

You can see all those sources in this thread:
https://www.pearldrummersforum.com/s...t=world+series

WLX/WX: 8 ply inner to outer, 2 plies selected linden, 5 plies super mahogany, 1 ply birch (linden is another name for basswood)...

[gyorpb]

I always took the "W" in those series to mean, "wood. It's wood. Don't ask what kind; we don't know either. We buy wood from a merchant at the right price, if it is good enough. It's good enough wood."

You know, you have the MX/MLX series, which are maple, the BX/BLX, which are birch, the DX/DLX, which are "dynamic wood", meaning birch sandwiching something else, and then there's WX/WLX, which is… wood. Like the W series of old when there was F for fibreglass, P for phenolic and C for "crystal" (acrylic).

[3pearlkits]

I always took the "W" in those series to mean, "wood. It's wood. Don't ask what kind; we don't know either. We buy wood from a merchant at the right price, if it is good enough. It's good enough wood."

You know, you have the MX/MLX series, which are maple, the BX/BLX, which are birch, the DX/DLX, which are "dynamic wood", meaning birch sandwiching something else, and then there's WX/WLX, which is… wood. Like the W series of old when there was F for fibreglass, P for phenolic and C for "crystal" (acrylic).

I get your point gyorpb.
I also get that people sometimes prefer the sonic properties of the one type of wood used to make the shells, over a different type.
It's probably not possible in the hybrid type shells to exactly describe the tonal differences, when comparing one to another, but it's enough for some to say they sound different.

I've only brought up the "issue" as this is a "thread to end all threads" thread.
Let's face it, if the shells in the early WX/WLX series were the same as the DX/DLX series, they would sound the same...

[space jeff]

I just found a few pictures of the Natural Matte Lacquer that are great:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]498901[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]498899[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]498900[/ATTACH]

I've always been a sucker for a nice, natural wood finish. That is awesome.

[gyorpb]

Let's face it, if the shells in the early WX/WLX series were the same as the DX/DLX series, they would sound the same...

Agreed. I would sooner say they are comparable to the EX than to the DX. The DX is a strange beast in the history of Pearl, there is very little like it, before or since.

[3pearlkits]

Agreed. I would sooner say they are comparable to the EX than to the DX. The DX is a strange beast in the history of Pearl, there is very little like it, before or since.

Agreed. Strange, but not in a bad way...

[Määttä]

Here is something not so common.

World Series 15" rack tom (14" deep).

[Stranjluv101]

I'm jealous!

I added a 15" tom to mine, but it's a DX series tom.

[Kevaruka]

Quick question if I may. What hoops would be fitted to the toms? Mine is a late WLX in Clear Matte Lacquer.

[Track12]

Here is something not so common.

World Series 15" rack tom (14" deep).

I want that!

[MasterBlaster56]

That mount looks like a tone robber.

[scoopyx]

Hello folks, long time no anything.
I've decided to post in this thread because the Pearl First Aid sub-forum is kaput.
I contacted Pearl through the website but the advice they gave me wasn't very encouraging.
Here's my problem: I'm playing and really enjoying my World Series kit at the moment, but a couple of the wing nuts on the floor tom leg brackets have stripped out and the brackets are basically unusable.
What I've done is steal a couple of the wing nuts from cymbal stands that came with the kit and they're holding, but of course now the cymbal stands can't be used properly!!!
What Pearl told me was that the World Series floor tom brackets (LB-30) were superseded by the LB-40 when the Masters series was introduced, and of course the LB-40 uses a different thread size than the LB-30.
So.
All I want is a few wing nuts that will fit the LB-30, but I don't know what to get.
There are numerous wing nuts available on the 'net, in both 6mm and 8mm sizes, but does that mean thread size or some other size?
I've measured the hole in the end of the World Series wing nuts, and they seem to be about 6mm in diameter, but if the thread size is different...
I dunno, any advice or assistance would be much appreciated.
Thanks and regards,

scoopyx.

[Cheez_Whiz]

You mean one of these? I've got 3 of them, but they're not for sale as they are on the brackets on my WX floor tom.


I have to venture to the colossal, mega, big-box, home improvement store later today. I'll bring it with me and put it on the bolt gauge.

If you are in a pinch and it is keeping you from playing, you can always try flipping the wing nut around, and adding a couple of nylon washers or a spacer to the bolt. You might have enough good threads remaining in the upper part of the wing nut to be able to lock down the leg. Not ideal, but it does work.



If no one else has answered your question before I get back, I'll let you know my findings.